Gyroscopic apparatus



Feb. 3. 1925. 1,524,709

J. G. GRAY GYROSCOP I C APPARATUS Filed Sept, 27, 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 3. 1925. I 4 1,524,709

, J. G. GRAY GYROSGOP IC APPARATUS Filed Sept. 27, 1921 7 Sheets-Shet v2 //3 "//2 #5, m HM) UH r I Q fi/W J. G. GRAY GYROS C 0P1 C APPARATUS Feb. 3. 1925. 1,524,709

Filed Sept. 27. 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 3. 1925 v 1,524,709

'- J. G. GRAY GYROSGOPIC APPARATUS I Filed Sept. 27, 1921 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jiaaafzfir:

Feb. 3. 1925. 1,524,709

J. G. GRAY GYROS COPI C APPARATUS Filed Sept. 27, 1921 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 fizz/6 762571- M4 M Feb. 3. 1925. 1,524,709 J. G. GRAY GYRoscoPic APPARATUS I Filed Sept. 2'7, 192]. 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Feb. 3, 1925,

U'NET E GYROSGOPIC APPARATUS.

Application filed. September 27,1921. Serial No. 503,699.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES GORDON GRAY, a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at Glasgow, Scotland, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gyroscopic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In the specification of'Letters Patent No; 1,311,768 there are described gyroscopic stabilizers which depend for their action on the movement of masses relatively to a memher which rotates continuously about an axis preferably parallel to that of the gyroscope, the axis of which is normally vertical. The present invention, which contemplates improvements and additions to the devices there described, consists in the features set forth in the appended claim.

Figs. 1 and 1 of the accompanying drawings show a form of erecto-r described in specification No. 1,311,768.

1 denotes a disk rotatable continuously in the direction of spin of the gyroscope (supposed clockwise as seen from above) about an axis in line with or parallel to that of the axis of the stabilizing gyroscope. Carried by thedisk are four rectangular .boxes 2, 2, 2,2, :the bottoms of which are truly plane and normally parallelto the plane of the disk 1. Fitted within each box is a plate 3, having the shape-shown in thefigure. When the disk is rotated in the direction specified, the balls occupy the positions shown, providedthedisk is horizontal, but if the disk be inclined each ball when descending the slope is situated nearer the axis of rotation of the disk than when ascending the slope- This shiftof theb-alls is a consequence of the shape given to the plates 3 and of the faotthat the boxes are This form of ere'otor has the great advantage that: it crects without precessional motiondn the ordinary sense of the term, the integral couple due to the movements of the balls being always perpendicular to the planeof greatest slope of the stabilizer. It is very sensitive if the speed be small, but if the speed be made very small the centrifugal force becomes very small and may not be sufficient to ensure that the balls shall always return to their proper equilibrium positions when the disk is horizontal.

The present invention provides means whereby, when the disk is; inclined to the. horizontal, which occurs when the. stabilizer is tilted to the vertical, each, box when at the top of the slope, or approximately so, receives a tilt in the direction in which the disk is inclined. The contained ball at once drops into the inner part of the slot, where it remains so long as the box is descending the slope.

To this end, each box is attached to the disk 1 by means of a pair of trunn-ionsfi, 6

parallel to the plane of the disk (one trunnion only is shown'in Fig. 1 on uprights 7, 7. In normal position the box rests against the pillar 8, being held in position by means of a. spring9, or theequ-ivalent.

Secure-d to the underside of the box is a pieceof soft iron 10, which, when current is passed through the coils of an electro magnet 11, carried by the disk 1, is pulled down, with the result that the boxgis tilted on the trunnions, and the floor of'the. box becomes an inclined plane down which the ball rolls. Mounted freely on four vertical rodscarried by the disk 1 are sleeves 12,12,

12, 12, or the equivalent, to which. are ,at-

tached horizontal rods 13, 13, 13, 13, terminating in weights 14-,- 14, 14,14. Each rod 13 is associated with a pusher 18-and its motion is limited by agcheck15. Each check 15 carries a contact piece 15 which cooperates with a contact piece 17- carried by the corresponding rod. f

Two slip rings 19, 20 or the equivalent are carried by the spindle on which the disk 1 rotates, andon these rings rub two brushes 21, '22 which are connected to a sou-roe of current. The ring 19 is electrically connected to one terminal of each of the electromagnets 11'," the remaining terminals being electrically connectedto the checks, one for each check, as showna The rods 13 are electrically connected to the slip-ring 20.

The action is as follOWsE- If the disk 1 be'inclined to'thc horizontal; (as happens when the stabilizer is deflected. from: its upright position) each rod 13 moves in a circular path which is sloped to gth'e'horizontal, and hence each rod l3'rests against its pusher 18 when moving uphill-andagainst its check 15 whenmoving down hill. As a rod enterson. the downward slope, it moves from its pusher to-itscheckandthis I results in currentbeing-suppliedto thecorresponding electromagnet 11.. 4 The; ball is rapidly transferred to the inside position of the box. When the rod enters on the upward slope, the contact is broken, the box tilts on its trunnions so as to become parallel to the disk; the centrifugal force acting on the ball, together with the action of gravity on the ball due to the slope of the disk, is suflicient to transfer the ball to the outside position in the box. The balls thus occupy the inside positions of the boxes when descending the slope, and the outside positions when ascending the slope.

Figs. 2 and 2 show a modification. The spindle of the main stabilizing gyroscope is extended and rotates (through the medium of gearing contained within the casing 103) the disk 102 continuously in the direction of spin of the gyroscope 101. Mounted eccentrically on the disk 102 are vertical rods to which are sleeved, or pivoted, pieces 104. Attached to the sleeves are rods 105 and weights 107. Each rod is associated with a pusher 108 and a check 109 and the rods and checks are provided with contact pieces. Forming part of the stabilizer is a small electric motor 110 the spindle ot which is connected through. gearing to a. spindle on which is mounted a ball erector of the type already described. The halls 115 are fitted in a rotatable casing 112 and their movement relatively to said casing is determined by the shape of slots 116 out in a plate 113 fitted as shown within the casing 112.

The spindle which carries the erector is parallel to that on which the disk 102 is mounted, and both are preferably parallel to the axis of spin of the main gyroscope.

The rotating disk 1.02 with the rods, pushers and checks acts as a speed regulator for the motor 110.

Fig. 3 shows a further means of attaining the same result. The main gyroscope 201 drives the disk 202 through gearing contained within the casing 203. The rods 205, pushers 208 and checks 209 are arranged to operate electric contacts. The erector 212 is rotated continuously in the direction of spin of the main gyroscope by an electric motor 210 the spindle of which. is connected through gearing contained within the easing 211 to the spindle which carries the erec- 'tor. Mounted on the spindle of the motor 210 is a disk 214. When the disk 202 becomes inclined to the horizontal, current is passed through the coils of an electromagnet 213 and a piece of iron or mild steel 216, attached to 'a. spring 217. is attracted over so as to bring a pad 215 into contact with the disk 214. The motor is thus slowed down when the stabilizer is tilted and speeded up when the stabilizer is upright.

.In Fig. 4 is shown. in plan, an erector consisting of a rotating disk 302, which is horizontal when the stabilizer is upright. This disk carries an eccentric arm 305 pivgted 304, and associated with a pusher 308 and a check 309. Carried on the disk with its. axis horizontal is a small electric motor 310. On the spindle of this motor is a boss 311 to which are attached radial arms terminating as shown in vanes 312. When the motor is spun, these vanes experience a resistance due to their motion through the air and the stabilizer experiences a couple in a plane perpendicular to the spindle of the motor. The spindle on which the disk 302 is mount ed is provided; with slip rings and when the rod 305 rests against the check 309 current is led. into the motor which starts up in the direction which results in the establishment of an erecting couple. lVith this arrange ment the stabilizer, when tilted, is erected by a series of impulsive couples, the tan comprising the vanes being on when the pivoted rod 305 is descending the slope of the disk 302 and oil when the rod is as cending. The direction of rotation of the motor must be such that the reaction couple, due to the fan, is an erecting one.

Fig. 5 shows a form of erector consisting of a plate 501 which is rotated continuously, preferably in the direction of spin of the main gyroscope. Carried by the plate is a pair of eccentric rods 503 with attached Weights 504-tlie rods being pivoted at 502 and associated with contact-making checks 506 and pushers 505.

Mounted on the rotating plate are four weights 507 each attached to the plate by an arm 508 and vertical pivot 509. Normally the arms 508 rest against stops 510, being held in position by springs 511. Fitted in each arm is a stud of soft iron 512, and when current is passedthrough the coils of electromagnets 513, carried by the plate, the studs are pulled over against the cores of the magnets 513 and the weights 507 move inwards.

A scheme of electrical connections to operate the device is indicated in the figure. The rods 503 and checks 506 operate as contact makers. It the plate 501 be inclined to the horizontal, then, when one arm 503 is descending and the other ascending, the weights 507 on the descending side are displaced inwards, and if the direction of rotation of the plate be that of the main gyroscope, the displacement results in the establishment of an erecting couple. The stabilizer is erected by a series of couples.

In Fig. 6 is shown an arrangement in which thescreens 914 are operated by electromagncts. which are in turn operated by pivoted rods 911 associated with contactmaking checks 916 and pushers 913. The arrangement is suitable for use when the stabilizer is mounted after the manner shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Arranged on the casing of the gyroscope 901 are two nozzles 915 from which issue jets of air at high spee'd. When a rod 911 comes against its check, it completes an electric circuit, after the manner already described, and current passes through the corresponding electromagnet 921 arranged on the casing. Each of the screens 914:, provided with an opening 917, is turned on the pivot 918 by the attraction excited between the core of the electromagnet and a piece of soft iron 920, so as to bring the opening 917 in front of the jet. The stabilizer in consequence experiences a couple, and with a proper arrangement of spin of the gyroscope and rotation of its casing this couple is an erecting one. The stabilizer is erected by means of a series of impulsive couples.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are shown three further applications of the invention to ball erectors. In Fig. 11 the movement of the pivoted rods 1002 relatively to the rotating plate 1001 is utilized to operate electromagnets 1003 so that when a slot 1004 containing a ball 1005 arrives at the highest position of the circular path in which it moves (supposing the plate 1001 inclined to the horizontal) the ball receives an impulse from a stud 1006 and is thereby propelled into the inside part of the slot. In the erector illustrated in Fig. 12 nozzles 2007 connected up to the periphery of the gyroscope casing by means of pipes rotate with the plate 2001. The movement of the rods 2002 relatively to the rotating plate 2001 operates electromagnets 2003 in such manner that when a slot with a contained ball arrives at the highest position of the slope, a screen 2006 is moved to one side and a puff of air enters the slot and propels the ball to the inside position. In the erecrtor shown in Fig. 13 four balls 2105 are tainedrball is drawn to the centre of the solenoid. When the plate is horizontal the rotation ensures that the balls rest at the outside positions of the solenoids and form a balanced system.

I claim a In a gyroscopic stabilizer, a rotatable member pivoted on an axis at a right angle to its axis of rotation, and thereby adapted for tilting movements, an element carried by said member and movable relatively to said member when said member is inclined, an erecting device rotating with said member, an electric circuit, and means for closing said circuit at times to cause said rotatable member to be tilted on said first-named axis.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses. I

JAMES GORDON GRAY.

Witnesses:

ISABEL RoLLo, KATE FOTHERINGHAM. 

